packing light?

Ok, this is really bugging me: No matter how hard I try, I can't seem not to overpack. So I'm curious to know "how many of each" other folks manage with. I understand that this'll vary depending on, e.g., how much included laundry a person has, whether one is a "clothes-horse," climate, no doubt various other factors. Still, I'm interested in getting at least some sense.

For a 3 week cruise:

Men:

-- How many shirts of the kind one wears to dinner?

-- How many shirts of the kind one wears for excursions or around the ship?

-- How many dinner slacks?

-- How many other kinds of slacks?

-- How many shorts?

-- How many shoes?

Women:

-- How many dinner dresses or pants?

-- How many dinner blouses or such?

-- How many sweaters or pashminas?

-- How many casual slacks?

-- How many shorts or capris?

-- How many shoes (or shouldn't I ask?)

Again, I know that there are all sorts of variables, but I'm determined to cut down this time (Med in early June). I'm hoping that your input will help me to do this. Btw, we are using Luggage Free for one suitcase.

Thanks to all who respond!

Hi poss! When I first saw the title of the thread I thought that I could teach anyone how to overpack but not to pack light:evilsmile:

Our TA gave us some good advice.which I try to follow. I pack two pairs of black slacks, one pair of navy and one pair of brown with loads of tops to go with them (I also pack one long black skirt for "special" nights. I only pack a couple of pair of shorts (actually they are more like pedal pushers - they come below to knee to cover my knee replacement scar). I also have blue and black slacks that I use for daytime wear.

I solved my personal shoe issue by packing one pair of gold, silver and black low heels. They mix and match easily with everything. Then I went to Amazon.com and got evening bags in the same colors (inexpensive at Amazon). I get the ones with the removable shoulder strap as it comes in handy. I also have flip-flops (nice ones) for during the day (3 pairs - they are small and light) and one pair of walking shoes

Probably better not to say how many tops that I pack because I have yet to learn how to control myself. So, below is my short summary:

Evening slacks - 4 pair (could do with 3 if you have included laundry like we do).

Daytime slacks - 2 pair

Evening shoes - 3 pair

Daytime shoes- 3-4 pair (could do with fewer flip flops)

Handbags - 3 (I use a Regent purse during the day so that would be one more)

For men:

Sports jacket - 1

Dinner shirts - 5

Polo shirts for during the day - 8

Shoes - 1 for at night and 1 for during the day

Slacks - 3

Shorts - 3

One of my best recent purchases was two jackets that I purchased from Amazon. They weight almost nothing and can be stuffed in a corner of a suitcase and will fluff up again when you take them out. They have a hood - are quite warm (and if you layer them they would be very warm.

Hope this helps!

I'd pack what you think you'll need for the cruise, not what you want to take. The laundry service is very good-give it to your Butler in the morning and have it back that evening so you don't need to over back. Plus leave room to make a purchase or two during your cruise. You'll only see 2 suitcases at the door for our suite.

I have found that casual dresses, sun dresses, etc. are far more effective in cutting down on clothes. Instead of two items( a top and pants or shorts ) I have only 1. Also a skirt can be transitioned from daytime to night by the top you wear, pashmina, belt and shoes, etc. my biggest dilemma has actually been DH clothes, as they are bulkier, heavier and take more room than mine.[emoji33]

One pair of casual flip flops, 1 pair dress sandals, 1 pair dress shoes and 1 pair heels does it for my shoes. DH requires we pack his pair of python cowboy boots. Can you see my issue with his stuff?!?

Also any item that can be easily laundered in the sink and dries overnight is a good choice, should you not want to engage ship laundry.

And definitely allow room for new purchases [emoji3]

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I am definitely not the packing light type, but I limit myself to one big suitcase and one carryon. Then I fill them up. I do try to color coordinate a bit so I can wear the same pair of pants with several tops, but I also wear a lot of dresses which really don't take up so much space.

Can I strongly and highly recommend the laundry services onboard. I sent all my laundry out when I used to actually pick my cabin based on proximity to the guest laundry. Some dear soul convinced me finally if I could afford to sail Regent then I could afford to send my laundry out. I never did a "free" load myself after that!

Send it out, don't look at the prices, you paid too much for the pleasure of sailing on Regent to spend even a minute sitting in the laundry :)

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Can I strongly and highly recommend the laundry services onboard. I sent all my laundry out when I used to actually pick my cabin based on proximity to the guest laundry. Some dear soul convinced me finally if I could afford to sail Regent then I could afford to send my laundry out. I never did a "free" load myself after that!

Send it out, don't look at the prices, you paid too much for the pleasure of sailing on Regent to spend even a minute sitting in the laundry :)

 

 

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I like this advice. :D

I like this advice. :D

AND...it has always been a very quick service. Leave it out in the morning & you have it back by the next day in the afternoon. And other times I leave it on the bed when we leave for dinner and STILL get it back the next afternoon. Nicely pressed and folded or hanging.....looks better than what I do at home.

Agree about the laundry service. An earlier post made me think of what we are paying per hour for a cruise. If a couple pay $25K for their cruise, it breaks down to approx. $104/hour. Quite expensive to spend your time doing laundry. OTOH, before becoming Platinum, I did some of my laundry myself.

I do understand that some people prefer to take care of their own laundry. And, Regent is hard on your clothing - they do a great job but I've sent in a new polo shirt to the laundry and it came back looking old (perhaps too much scrubbing?) I just replaced two of my DH's dress shirts that I have made in China because the fabric was looking old and worn (and he only wears the shirts onboard). Despite all of this, I now send out everything.

I much appreciate the replies.

Rodrick, I think that what you said makes great sense: take what you think you will need, not what you want to take. I think that puts the finger on one of my problems. I shall endeavor to put that good advice into better practice.

About laundry: I'm looking forward to having a bunch of it included this time (I reallyreally don't want to spend time in the laundry room). But, as I've mentioned in other posts, I'm also leery of sending it out. Mainly concerned about shrinkage. I'm always happy to hear that some people find the service to be excellent, but I suspect that many others have had experiences such as Tc's. When I asked on an earlier post about this, I received mixed reports.

Ah, I wish I were a dress person. I love the look of sundresses and other sorts of dresses on women, but I've always been more comfortable in pants of various kinds, and for the last many decades that's virtually all I wear.

Many thanks for these responses, and looking forward to more.

I have not had any trouble with laundry, and being short and roundish shrinking is a big concern. Wish I could send myself out to shrink ;)

Anyway they do a lovely job and knock in wood I have not lost anything!

Greetings, Everyone, from South Beach, where most of us dress like beach bums during the day. That I also wear dog walking clothes makes laundry issues easy to solve. Main goal, stain removal. Now, on to Regent, where the bum/dog look wouldn't work. We use Regent laundry for whatever we can. However, I have lots of Chico's Travelers and they will not survive a commercial laundry. The good news is that they are dirt resistant, and do well in the guest laundry. That way, I limit the number of items I bring. As does Travelcat2, I bring along demoted pants for daytime. All my evening pants and skirts are black or white and all my tops go with everything. As for shoes, one pair black sandals, one red, one pair black shoes, one pair sneakers. My two evening bags are actually pouches that fit into my brocade Brighton carry on, and come with both black leather and silver chain straps. This is my main piece of luggage and the one that goes with Luggage Forward. The other is also a Brighton carry on. A rain jacket and black pashmina fit into the outside pocket of the brocade bag, along with an umbrella.

My husband's clothes are packed the same way, including rain gear. Everything goes with everything. He has a regular suitcase that ships with Luggage Forward and only uses a carry on, because both of us had a bag disappear on international flights. Those cases are also what we use for pre or post cruise stays. After the Explorer TA in April, we remained in Barcelona with only our carry ons. It was marvelous to get through passport control in Miami and walk right out to taxis. Home in thirty minutes. Bliss.

Happy packing,

Mary

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Ah, I wish I were a dress person. I love the look of sundresses and other sorts of dresses on women, but I've always been more comfortable in pants of various kinds, and for the last many decades that's virtually all I wear.

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Hi Poss, I've also wished I were a dress person. I do own a couple of dresses, one of which is a long sundress that I've owned literally since my first cruise!

Since you're doing the Med., it shouldn't be hard. We were in Italy for almost 3 weeks, and did it with roll-aboards plus small carry-ons. When we did our South American adventure last winter it was a month, but we did do one checked bag and one roll-aboard, plus the small carry-ons. And as usual, there were things that I ended up not wearing!

We had a bag of free laundry on Mariner, none in Italy on Azamara. I believe I paid to have a couple of shirts done on the latter, just so we'd have some clean shirts etc. post-cruise, although there wasn't much overlap because Florence was chilly after baking in the south.

I think David had about 6 shirts on the Italy trip. Two pairs of khakis for the ship (could have just had one), plus just two pairs of jeans (one of which got laundered on the ship.)

For S.A. it was about 8 shirts I think, all tropical, which is easier. The usual khakis, etc. One pair of shorts in that case (which he did not wear-he's not a shorts person.) He's also a single pair of shoes kind of guy, plus sandals.

I tend to wear capris rather than shorts at this point in my life, and I had 3 or 4 of them on both trips, plus a good solid day pant in Italy, for when it was chilly. Various t-shirts which I practically live in normally, and an array of somewhat fancy tops to go with the dress pants I take on cruises (2 pair I think in SA.) Plus my sundress. I have dressy sandals that I wear for dinner on the ships. They are "switchflops" or a variant, with decoration that can change. I had good walking shoes, and a lighter shoe that I could wear in the evenings in Italy. No heels, all flats. Only one shawl in SA since I forgot my collection back in Toronto and had to buy one in Florida. Didn't need any sweaters, it was hot--had a couple for Florence plus a warmer long-sleeved shirt or two.

God knows what we'll do for Norway next year. It'll be like Alaska I expect, which means two season packing.

Many thanks for the continued comments.

I must be the most inept packer in the world. I started two weeks ago, and am still going in circles, removing things, adding new ones, going back to original, etc. I have a life-long gift of making more work than is necessary for myself; I definitely take the prize. At least I think I've got my husband's packing done (though will still try to take a few things out). I had less trouble when we did our Med trips in mid-summer, when I knew it was going to be hot (though we're always cold on the ship). This cruise in early June will probably have temps in the 70's (or even 60's) at times; and some of course in 80's or even 90's.

Wendy: Which Norway cruise did you finally book? I know that you were back-and-forthing a bit, but I can't remember what you decided.